


Got a Secret (can you keep it?)

by moeblobmegane



Category: Hey! Say! JUMP
Genre: Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, Animal Shelters, Fluff and Humor, Gen, Gyms, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-04
Updated: 2017-12-07
Packaged: 2019-02-10 14:09:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 5,230
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12913533
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/moeblobmegane/pseuds/moeblobmegane
Summary: Chinen walks into Yuto's apartment, and sees The Betrayal™





	1. CHINEN

**Author's Note:**

  * For [rikotan](https://archiveofourown.org/users/rikotan/gifts).



> I'm using the PLL song for the title ugh sorry
> 
> This fic is long overdue but I wanted to post it now for Riko!!! Happy birthday???  
> Thank you Naya for looking this over!!!!  
> I'll hopefully finish this soon!!!

Chinen would like to think he is a fairly well-tempered guy. He isn’t prone to outbursts or temper tantrums, and being in the service industry has taught him how to handle most types of social situations. He is famous in their neighborhood for being a good waiter at the cafe and a patient instructor at the gym.

He is a good person.

They all know that. _Yuto_ , in particular, knows that.

So when he screams at the top of his lungs the moment he walks into Yuto’s apartment, it is with a very good reason.

“ _Nakajima Yuto!_ _What the hell?!”_

 

Let’s start at the beginning.

Chinen has two best friends: Yamada Ryosuke, who he knows from high school, and Nakajima Yuto, who he knows because of work. His two best friends have never met each other. They are from two separate parts of Chinen’s life, which is fine for him. He meets Yamada every weekend for their weekly hangout session at Yamada’s house, or during random brunches when they’re free. He sees Yuto everyday at the fitness center where they both work.

When the time is right, he will introduce them to each other and let the two sides of his life converge. He thinks that would be a fun day, when Yamada gets to meet his co-workers.

But for now, it works as it is. It works really well. Chinen has no plan to change the status quo.

That is, until The Pining Incident happens.

 

“You’re staring off into space again,” Chinen says, sitting on the sofa beside his best friend. Yamada has been sighing dreamily every now and then, and it’s making Chinen curious beyond anything. “What’s up?”

Yamada grimaces, obviously uncomfortable with being caught. “There’s just this guy…"

Chinen perks up. “A guy? You’re dating someone new?”

“Why are you jumping to that already?” Yamada rolls his eyes. “I’m not dating anyone.”

“Oh!” Chinen elbows him lightly, a sly smile on his face. “You _want_ to date him! Who’s this guy?”

Yamada tries to back away, but he’s at the end of the couch now and he has nowhere else to go. “I didn’t say that! I don’t even know his name.” He glances at his phone, then back at Chinen. “He’s just a guy I met in Shibuya when I was searching for a camera.”

Chinen narrows his eyes. “You didn’t ask him for his name or number?”

“I couldn’t,” Yamada says dejectedly. “He got a call and had to go back home because of an emergency.”

With a sigh, Chinen pats Yamada on the back. “There are plenty of fishes in the sea,” he says. “I can introduce you to some nice young men.”

“I don’t need you to pimp me out, Chii.”

“Clearly, you do.”

 

Chinen sets out to get his plan moving the next Monday.

“Hey, do you have anything planned this Saturday? I want to introduce you to someone,” he says casually, leaning on the stationary bicycle Yuto is using.

It’s still early and they don’t have any of their regulars yet so the two are hanging out while they wait. Yuto likes to use the equipments in the morning to make sure nothing is wrong with them. It’s a good show for most people going to work, too. Yabu, the owner of the café next door, gives Chinen free coffee as long as he could make Yuto exercise at the nearest window. Chinen takes his duty seriously.

“Someone?” Yuto sounds suspicious, which is _offensive_ because Chinen only wants what’s best for his friends. He is a _great_ friend.

“My other best friend,” Chinen explains. “Yamada, remember?”

“The one from high school?” Yuto asks.

“Yep,” Chinen says with a nod. “I was hoping you could—I don’t know—distract him? He’s busy most of the time so he doesn’t meet new people often.”

Yuto narrows his eyes as understanding dawns on him. “Are you pimping me out?”

Chinen gasps dramatically, putting a hand on his chest in fake outrage. “How could you say that?”

“That doesn’t work on me anymore, you know?” Yuto levels him with a deadpan expression. “You blackmailed me the first time we met,” he added. “You can’t ever change that impression.”

“I wouldn’t say _blackmail_ ,” Chinen scoffs. “It was a strong suggestion, at most. Don’t make me sound like a bad person.”

Yuto shakes his head with a laugh. “You’re not a bad person,” he agrees. “But you’re not quite as innocent as you’d like people to think. Nothing wrong about that.”

Chinen crosses his arms petulantly. “I am _pure_ _of heart_ ,” he says.

“Find someone else who believes that,” Yuto says, waving a hand in a shooing motion. “I’m busy this weekend anyway. Raiya’s already asked me to keep my schedule free.”

Chinen pouts.

“It’s not gonna work,” Yuto says, but he looks away as if he knows continued exposure to The Pout™ would make him budge.

“I’m firing you,” Chinen says. “From being my best friend and from this place.”

“I own this place,” Yuto says, amusement clear in his tone.

“Or so you think,” Chinen says, walking away. “Or so you _think_.”

“What does that even mean?!” Yuto shouts at his retreating form. “Did you steal the ownership from under me?! Hey!”

 

Chinen eats brunch with Yamada the next day. Evidently, he still isn’t over his crush on that stranger who helped him.

“Was he that hot?” Chinen asks with a grimace. It’s been a long time since he last saw Yamada with that lovelorn dejected expression. As far as he remembers, it was with Mariya after they broke up. Yamada doesn’t get crushes often, and he’s been too busy at the animal shelter to meet people. “Was he the man of your dreams come to life?”

Yamada glares at him. “You don’t have to mock.”

“I’m not _mocking_ ,” Chinen says, raising both hands in surrender. He picks up the menu again and surveys it for something to do. He already knows what he’ll order. They have eaten here plenty of times before. “I just want to understand.” He injects as much warmth in his voice as he could muster. “It’s not usually this bad.”

“It’s not _that_ bad,” Yamada objects. “It’s just a shame that I don’t know his name or how to meet him again. I’m pretty sure I won’t, but…”

“You _have_ to move on,” Chinen says gently. “There’s no point crying over spilled milk.”

“I know,” Yamada sighs. “He was just... really hot.”

“Yeah?” Chinen raises an eyebrow, motioning for him to go on.

“And nice,” he adds. “The employees were assholes and were acting all condescending since I have no clue what kind of camera I want, so he stepped in and acted like we already knew each other and then helped me choose.”

“Swooping in like a knight in shining armor?”

“Exactly,” Yamada sighs. “He was so nice about it. Asked me about my work and what I wanted to use the camera for, etc. He said his brother wanted a dog.”

Chinen frowns in disbelief. “You talked that much and you didn’t get his name?”

“We, uh, well.” Yamada scrunches his nose. “We forgot. We were already deep into conversation so there really wasn’t time to introduce myself, and then he got an urgent phonecall so…”

“That sounds more like Cinderella.” Chinen leans his cheek on his hand, elbow propped on the table. “Maybe you’re romanticizing everything because you don’t meet many people.”

“Don’t use psychology on me,” Yamada grouses.

“Who else will I use it for? I took that subject especially for you, Yama-chan.”

Yamada rolls his eyes. “You took that subject for your plan to take over the world. Don’t lie.”

Chinen laughs. “That’s true,” he acknowledges. “But that doesn’t change my point. You need to meet new people.”

“No,” Yamada says, shaking his head. “I’ll be fine. Maybe I really am ‘romanticizing’ it. I’ll get distracted with training my cute babies sooner or later.”

“Your cute babies are terrifying giant dogs,” Chinen says.

Yamada picks a packet of sugar from the table and throws it at Chinen’s face. “Take that back! My babies are _adorable_.”

 

He tries, for months, to make his two best friends meet; but something always seems to be on the way.

(“You’re _still_ busy this weekend?”

“Chii, you know I have a meeting. You peek at my schedule all the time.”

“Can’t you move it?”

“No. I won’t move it just so you can pimp me out.”

“I’m _not_ pimping you out. Stop saying that where people can hear you.”)

 

(“Why don’t you ever go to the gym? There are _lots_ of hot people in there you could meet.”

“Because I'm busy with work…?”

“But you take time to see me for brunch!”

“Do you _not_ want my company? Because I have dogs to train.”

“I’m just saying…”

“Chinen Yuri, I won’t go to the gym just to meet hot people. I’m not that desperate.”

“That wounds me.”

“You _work_ there. You don’t go there just to meet hot people… or, wait, do you?”

“No comment.”)

 

(“You’ve been avoiding me.”

“I have _not_. I’m really busy.”

“You have more money than all of your employees combined, shut up.”

“Just because I have money doesn’t mean I can’t be busy.”

“Are you trying to avoid meeting Yamada? Because if you are, I’m _very offended_. My best friend is hot like burning and the most hardworking person in this whole town, so fuck you.”

“...Chinen, calm down.”

“Sorry.”

“God, if you’re so overprotective, why are you pimping him out?”

“I’m _not_.”

“Sure. Whatever you say, Chii.”)

 

He tries, and he fails, for months.

Which brings us back to the screaming.

Chinen walks into Yuto’s apartment without any warning, and promptly screams, “ _Nakajima Yuto! What the hell?!”_

Because standing in front of him is Yuto, only wearing boxers, and Yamada, hidden under piles of blankets and noticeably shirtless (and probably naked? What the fuck?).


	2. YUTO

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is dedicated to Riko still because she's the best  
> Also I'm sorry, I'm tired and sleepy so this is more unbeta-ed than usual?  
> The last chapter will be better and also longer, because it will have The Confrontation plus also the Yamachii friendship, which is like... my most favorite thing tbh.
> 
> This chapter contains background Yabuhika and dainoo.

Yuto first meets Chinen when he opens the fitness center in one of the buildings he owns. As per usual, he hires himself as an instructor just to have something to do, and to be able to see the way the business works from the inside. He keeps his identity a secret so that his co-workers won’t treat him any differently. He may have been born into a life of luxury and real estate riches, but he wants to experience what his employees experience. Besides, he hates being treated like the boss.

So he hides his real identity, and observes his fitness center from the inside. It’s a sound plan, and it works.

It works, until Chinen Yuri steps into his office and says, “hey, so. I know you own this building and about three other buildings in this town. Can you give me a job?” His smile is wide and unrepentant.

It’s blackmail.

It’s very clearly blackmail.

But, well, there’s something about Chinen that, instead of feeling threatened, makes him smile and say “okay”.

 

On one hand, Chinen is the kind of person who knows everything, and uses it for evil. Being on his side is way easier than being on whatever side is against him. Yuto understands this immediately after meeting him.

On the other hand, Chinen is also a _good_ person at heart.

For lack of a better term, Yuto thinks of Chinen as a ‘pure Slytherin’: he works hard for his dreams, uses anyone he could use to reach them, and is loyal to a terrifying degree.

Their friendship may have started off from shady means, but Yuto ends up loving Chinen for the lovable snake that he is.

 

The Parasite Incident™, in particular, often reminds Yuto of what makes Chinen such a good friend to have.

Yuto meets a sweet, handsome guy who sweeps him off his feet and makes him open up. They bump into each other, very literally, at the coffee shop beside his gym. (He owns the lot here too, and is renting it out to Yabu, but only Chinen and Yabu knows that.) The guy, whose name does not deserve to be uttered or even remembered, buys Yuto a coffee and charms him the whole time.

Yuto falls in love. He is prone to that, to falling fast and hard with very little context. His mother says he has a big heart that is capable of so much love. Chinen says he’s touch-starved and needy. Yuto dates the guy for a few weeks, before he finally admits to being a trust fund kid who earns way more money than he needs as a young bachelor. It feels like a dream.

Until it becomes a nightmare.

Chinen sees it coming before Yuto does, and Yuto does not believe him when Chinen tries to warn him about the fraud. Yuto wants to give his boyfriend everything he needs, and he would have, if Chinen did not run off the guy and did something so unspeakable that Yabu refuses to talk about it. The next thing Yuto hears, the guy is in prison for multiple charges of pyramid schemes and relationship fraud.

Yuto owes Chinen a lot. When you are on Chinen’s side, he is ride or die for you. It is hard not to love that.

 

So yeah. He loves Chinen.

But that doesn’t mean he’s not a tad bit afraid of the guy. Chinen is ride or die for his friends, and he does so much for their happiness, which means he is—in a word—overly invested. It means that when Yabu wants to surprise Hikaru for his birthday, Chinen is right there in the middle being a bossy little planner. It means that when Inoo forgets to buy Daiki a gift for their anniversary, Chinen hounds Inoo passive-aggressively until he realizes his mistake. It is sweet, but also overwhelming.

So when he meets Yamada Ryosuke (for the second time), and figures out who he is, Yuto chooses the cautious route.

“You’re Chinen’s other best friend?” Yuto asks, unsure of what he feels about that. He knows what he feels about Yamada (the fluttery feeling from the first time they met isn’t fading any time soon) but he doesn’t know what to feel about this new development. Yamada is Chinen’s longest friend, and the one he is most overprotective about.

Yamada frowns, and Yuto feels personally attacked by the fact that he is still cute even when he’s frowning. His nose scrunches up and there is a furrow in between his brows that Yuto inexplicably wants to poke.“You’re Nakajima Yuto? Trustfund kid Yuto with the gym?”

Oh. Chinen told him everything? “Uh, yeah,” he says, rubbing the back of his neck. “I guess he told you all about me, huh?” That does not sound good. Yuto always seems very annoying when Chinen narrates anything they do together.

“You’re his work best friend,” Yamada says with a shrug. “Of course he told me all about you. Don’t worry. He doesn’t gossip about you to anyone else.”

“That isn’t very reassuring,” Yuto says. “I wanted to have a good first impression on you.”

Yamada blinks. “Your first impression on me was you helping me out at the store,” he says. “Nothing changes that.” He smiles then, bashful all of a sudden. “If I knew it was you, I’d have made time to visit the gym when Chinen told me to.”

“I’m glad you didn’t,” Yuto says, laughing. “He would be so smug about it.”

And isn’t that what his reaction will be when they tell him about this, anyway? Chinen will be so smug, and it would be insufferable.

“Actually,” he starts, “about that…”

 

It becomes a game.

When Chinen offers to help Yuto find a pet, Yuto says Raiya already adopted a new dog, and that he has no time to visit the animal shelter. When Yuto’s schedule suddenly clears up despite meetings being lined up just the day before, Yuto asks his father’s IT expert instead of going to Chinen like usual. (He knows, of course, that Chinen hacked his planner. It’s ridiculously obvious, which means Chinen is getting desperate to make them meet. It’s… surprisingly hilarious.)

Yuto thinks it adds excitement to their newfound friendship, and more spice to their flirting. Hiding around is fun in this context. It becomes more about the thrill of not being found, rather than the mission of keeping their companionship secret from Chinen.

Eventually, they _will_ tell Chinen, but these few weeks of peace is a good break from the usual.

 

It isn’t as easy as he thought it would be.

Sneaking off where Chinen could not see them, and pretending to be busy with work, is difficult. Chinen can see through him, can see through _anyone_ , so the only choice they have is to not see Chinen at all. It’s not impossible, but it’s damn near it.

Chinen is _everywhere_ all the time.

“Should we tell him we’re friends now?” Yuto asks, narrowing his eyes at the sidewalk outside the café. There is a high chance that Chinen will transfer here soon since his morning shift at the gym is over.

Yamada shrugs. “We can,” he says. “But I won’t be the one to do it.”

Yuto gasps. “You’re going to drop me like that? I thought you liked me!”

“I don’t know about that,” Yamada says, but there’s a light pink tint on his cheeks that makes Yuto want to do something ridiculous like kiss him. “Besides, I don’t want to see Chinen’s reaction to seeing us together. It’s scary.”

“He loves you,” Yuto says. “He loves you more than he loves me, I’m sure.”

“You can’t be sure of that! You gave him a job and he spends most of his time with you.” Yamada sighs. “It felt like you were stealing him from me, back then.”

Yuto grins gleefully. “Were you jealous?”

“Totally,” Yamada answers. “He’s been my best friend for so long, you know? And I’m not that interesting, so…”

Yuto flings a sugar packet at Yamada’s face.

“Hey!”

“You’re interesting!” _And ridiculously hot and cute at the same time,_ he adds in his head.

Yamada’s blushing face is Yuto’s favorite sight. It _heals_ him. “I’m not being- It’s just that Chinen has lots of other friends. He brings people together.”

“Ah, I get that.” Yuto has seen firsthand how good Chinen is when he really wants to be close with someone. He is apathetic to other people, and even aloof, but if he likes you, he will do everything to pull you into his circle.

“He’s the best,” Yamada says with a soft, fond smile.

Yuto is about to say something when Yabu pulls at his hand and drags him to behind the counter. Yuya has done the same for Yamada. “What?” he hisses, sideeyeing the two.

“He’s coming in,” Yabu explains. “I thought it would be good if you go out back?”

Yamada laughs. “Why are you helping us hide?”

“It’s funny,” Yuya answers with a shit-eating grin. “Chii usually knows everything.”

 

With the help of their combined group of friends, Chinen does not figure out about their secret friendship.

Until.

Until Yuto asks Yamada out on a date, and they end up coming home to Yuto’s apartment. They have been flirting for a long time, and this feels right. They watch the new Star Wars movie together, eat dinner at a family diner near Yamada’s work, and go back to Yuto’s for some tea, and well... They have fun. Yamada falls asleep in Yuto’s arm, and it is _perfect._

And then, while trying to make The Best Breakfast Ever, Yuto looks up to see Chinen standing at his doorway.

“ _Nakajima Yuto!_ _What the hell?!”_

Oh, fuck.


	3. Yamada

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> yo I wrote this final chapter at tim horton's at 12 am, so like. It is both sugar-glazed and sleep-deprived.  
> I hope you like it?
> 
> Happy birthday week, Riko. You will always be our Chinen. Love you ;w;

Across from the two of them, Chinen sits in silence. He has this face that screams ‘I’m very mad AND disappointed’, which is a look Yamada has not gotten in a very long time. It is an effective tool to make him want to grovel and beg for forgiveness. The only reason why Yamada does not is because he is immune to it by now. It’s one of the perks of being Chinen’s oldest friend.

 

Yamada first sees Chinen in middle school, when Yamada transfers into his new school. Chinen is the smartest boy in class, and he is by far the cutest, too. He is friends with all the boys, and despite not talking to the girls, he is popular with them too. Chinen is good at sports, has lots of talents, and has a natural charisma that pulls people towards him.

Out of a twisted sense of self-preservation, Yamada does not try to get closer with him.

That is, until The Project Incident™.

During their third year in middle school, Yamada’s grades drop so badly that his teacher warns him that he may not graduate. The only way to pass is to get perfect scores on the special projects assigned to him. Chinen, their class representative at the time, offers his help for some reason.

They spend time together, and Chinen immediately figures out that he has no interest in school because he spends most of his free time helping out at an animal shelter his uncle owns. He goes there after class without studying at home or doing his homework.

“You’re… a pretty simple guy, aren’t you?” Chinen says, as soon as he sees how hard Yamada works at the animal shelter. “Okay, then. You’ll pass with flying colors. Leave it to me!” His smile inspires confidence that Yamada does not have.

Of course, Chinen goes Spartan with his help, but in the end, it results in Yamada passing his classes and graduating with everyone.

Yamada owes Chinen a lot, especially since he continues to save Yamada through the years.

 

On that fateful day in Shibuya, when he searches for a camera to buy for the animal shelter, he does not have Chinen with him. He panics and asks a clerk, but they are no help. They look bored, and almost like Yamada’s cluelessness offends them. For an anxious guy such as himself, it is the worst expression to see.

He almost gives up and walks off, not caring if Ryutaro laughs at him when he explains why he cannot buy a camera.

“Hey!” A handsome tall guy jogs towards him with a wide, friendly smile. “Sorry to keep you waiting. I told you I’d help you buy your thing!”

Yamada stares at him. He has a casual grace in the way he talks, like he is comfortable being loud and happy.

He leans close and drops his voice to a whisper. “Just go with it,” he says. “I’ll help you find your thing.”

The rude employee takes one look at him then walks away, muttering about being tired under his breath. Yamada continues staring at the guy.

“So? What do you need?”

“A camera,” he answers. “For work. Not, uh, like super professional pictures, but we need a camera so we can take pictures of our animals at the shelter.”

“A shelter!” The guy seems to brighten even more. “Cool! I guess you need something easy to navigate, right? And you want it digital, I guess?”

The guy prattles on about cameras and connectors and various things Yamada might be interested in. In the middle of a sales pitch of one camera, he tangents into talking about his baby brother wanting to adopt a dog.

Yamada listens attentively, feeling calm and at peace.

 

Chinen tells him he is pining after the guy, and that the way to get over it is to meet some other handsome nice guy.

It is unusual enough for him to be outside the animal shelter other than to meet Chinen for their weekly brunch, or to have a cook-off with Daiki at his apartment. Meeting someone to date is out of the picture.

Or so he thinks, until he sees the guy walk into the animal shelter with his younger brother. (He knows it is his younger brother, because he actually took out his wallet and showed a picture when they met. It was the most endearing thing anyone has ever done in front of Yamada, and it made his heart melt.)

“Hey!” The guy brightens up immediately after catching sight of him. “Oh wow. _This_ is your animal shelter? How have we never met?”

“Well, stranger,” Yamada says, laughing. “I guess it’s because it’s your first time here.”

“By the time I got back, you were gone. I didn’t even get your name.”

“Yamada Ryosuke,” he offers. “Nice to meet you.” He turns to the baby brother. “Raiya, am I right?”

Raiya looks amused as he nods and elbows his brother. “You know my name but not his? Yep. That sounds exactly like my brother.”

“He has a baby picture of you in his wallet,” Yamada explains.

“Oh my god,” Raiya moans. “Did he show you?” He hits his brother on the arm. “Big brother!”

“Wait…” As if he did not hear anything they said, the guy’s eyes fixate on Yamada. He gapes with his jaw hanging open. “You’re Chinen’s other best friend?!”

 

Yuto’s plan, in a word, is _ridiculous_. It makes very little sense, and Yamada initially does not like it because the idea of hiding something from Chinen is way too out of this world to even consider. Yuto is very charming, though, and it only takes a few minutes of cajoling to convince him.

“You know, he’ll probably ruin your life when he figures it out, right?” Yamada asks with a smile.

“Imagine his _face_ though. Don’t you think it might be worth it?” Yuto’s playful smirk is only a shade less evil than Chinen’s.

 

After about a month of doing this little dance and song, Yamada thinks it might actually be worth it just for the way their whole social circle band together.

Once, while Yuto tries to buy a flower crown for Yamada from Daiki’s flower shop, Inoo appears out of nowhere and hides them behind a giant flower arrangement while Chinen talks to Daiki about a discount for the flowers they buy to design the lobby of Yuto’s gym.

Another time, Hikaru moves a standee outside the coffee shop to hide them when Chinen unexpectedly goes to buy muffins in the middle of his break from the gym.

Ryutaro expertly distracts Chinen whenever he shows up at the animal shelter while Yuto is there hanging out.

It is a fun game, and an adrenaline shot every time they succeed.

Chinen _is_ almost always all-seeing, so they may find more fun in it than is necessarily healthy.

 

And the thing is, it’s not like Yamada and Yuto are _dating_. They hang out a lot, and flirt, and Yamada loves eating out with him, but it’s not quite dating yet.

 

Until-

“Yama-chan…?”

“Yeah?”

“Do you want to go on a date with me this Friday?”

Silence. A long silence.

“No? Did I- Did I misread-”

“No! I mean, yes! I mean- I’ll go on a date with you! Yeah! Sure, of course. You didn’t misread anything at all.” He feels like all the blood in his body climbed into his head. Is dying from embarrassment a real thing?

“You’re so cute, Yama-chan.” Yuto smiles at him, and he flashbacks to that first time they met. The peace he felt back then settles even deeper in his bones, alongside the pleasant buzzing of affection. It’s a great feeling.

 

The feeling he has now, sitting in front of a mad _and_ disappointed Chinen, is about the opposite of that.

“Chii…?” Yamada leans forward. Chinen has not spoken since they arrived in the coffee shop, and that is not a good sign. Yamada hopes he’s not angry enough to not speak to them for a longer amount of time. Chinen is their best friend, and they never want him to be truly angry.

Chinen sighs, shoulders slumping in defeat. It’s an unusual posture for someone like him. “Honestly?” he starts, eyeing the two of them with a discerning expression. “I’m… impressed.”

“Huh?” Yuto and Yamada says at the same time.

“Wow, you’re already in sync,” Chinen says, scrunching up his nose in disgust. “How long have you been together?”

Yuto glances at Yamada for a second before answering, “About a day?”

Chinen actually laughs. “Oh my god,” he says, slapping his hand on the table as he laughs some more. “Did I catch you trying to make him breakfast on your first day together?” He looks like this is enough to make it up to him.

“I was going to make pancakes,” Yuto mumbles, ears turning pink.

“I saved you,” Chinen tells Yamada. “I saved you from food poisoning.”

“I can cook!” Yuto objects.

Chinen rolls his eyes and ignores him, instead adding, “See, if you let me pimp you out, you would have boned sooner.”

Yamada grimaces. “This is why we didn’t tell you we already met. Exactly this.”

“Because I’m efficient?” Chinen asks innocently.

“Because you’re an ass,” Yuto counters, but he sounds fond and teasing. Yamada understands the feeling.

“Po-tay-to, po-tah-to,” Chinen sing-songs.

 

(“Did Yuya help you out, too?”

“Yeah. Actually, he was really into it.”

“I’ll murder him.”

“With kisses?”

“Shut up.”)

 

(“You were at the coffee shop that day? Wow. I’m really impressed.”

“Yabu-kun’s really good at hiding people. Like a ninja.”

“Interesting.”

“Are you going to use this information _for evil_?”

Chinen scoffs. “I’m never evil.”

Yuto and Yamada shivers at the look in Chinen’s eyes.)

 

(“You know, if I had my way, you would have adopted 3 dogs by now and lived together.”

Yamada laughs. “That’s too much, even for you.”

“You underestimate my skills and Yuto’s… influenceability.”

“I heard about the blackmail, Chii. I know all about his influenceability.”

“Slander. It was not blackmail. It was an aggressive suggestion. There’s a _difference_.”)

 

Later, much later, after the two of them tells Chinen everything, Yabu sweeps in and asks Yuto to signs some papers, and Chinen and Yamada are left alone at the table.

Chinen flashes a charming smile and says, “You like him?”

Yamada blushes, but he nods. “Yeah, he’s… He’s really nice.”

The fondness in Chinen’s face is pure and real, and it hits Yamada all at once that Yuto really is Chinen’s other best friend. He loves Yuto as much as he loves Yamada, and that is a whole lot more than normal people do their friends. “Take care of him,” Chinen says. “He was super bad at choosing boyfriends. I’m glad you found each other.”

Yamada smiles. “Of course. I’m glad, too.”

 

Yuya asks him about his dogs and he gets distracted enough that he leaves Yuto alone with Chinen. When he comes back, Yuto’s face is pale and Chinen is laughing deviously.

“What… happened here?”

Chinen grins. “I just told him what will happen if he tries to make you hide something from me again,” he says, all smiles and terrifying giddiness.

“He said he would…” Yuto shivers. “You know what? I can’t even repeat it.”

Yamada shakes his head. “I don’t wanna know.”

 

“So, no more secrets?” Chinen looks at them expectantly.

“No more,” Yuto answers earnestly. “I promise.”

“None after this, too?”

Yamada nods. “Promise.”

Chinen smiles. “Good.”

 

(“So… uh. We’ll never tell him we went to an Arashi concert without him, yeah?”

“Deal.”)


End file.
